Device for extinguishing cigars and cigarettes



Nov. 19, 1963 A. B. YARD, JR 3,111,128

DEVICE FOR EXTINGUISHING CIGARS AND CIGARETTES Filed March 20, 1961 l J0 m 36 i! 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

Y AB. Yard Jr W 9 ks ATTORNEY? Nov. 19, 1963 A. B. YARD, JR 3,111,128

DEVICE FOR EXTINGUISHING CIGARS AND CIGARETTES Filed March 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6Z2 zl/ RZ/ I 2/2 230 IN VEN TOR.

\ BY AB. Yer/o Jr.

MA 1: M M

UnitedStates Patent Ofitice 3,111,128 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 3,111,128 DEVICE FER EXTINGUISHING CIGARS AND CIGARETTES Alfred B. Yard, Jr., R.F.D. 2, Southington, Conn. Filed Mar. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 96,926 7 Claims. (6!. 131-256) The invention relates to devices for extinguishing cigars and cigarettes and, particularly, to extinguishing devices that are adapted to be mounted above an ashtray so that the extinguished cigar or cigarette may be deposited therein.

The invention has for its object the provision of a device for extinguishing cigars and cigarettes that is safe and efiicient and one that will be self cleaning. Another object of the invention is to provide a device that will eject the extinguished cigar or cigarette easily and out of the way of the next succeeding cigar or cigarette. Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for extinguishing cigars and cigarettes that can be manufactured under wide tolerances so that the manufacture or" the device is inexpensive. Another object of the invention is to provide a device in which cigars or cigarettes may be extinguished either by crushing the lighted end or by cutting oil the supply of air to the lighted end.

Briefly, and in general, the invention comprises a bracket that is adapted to be secured in fixed position as, for instance, to the side wall of an ashtray, and in which there is pivotally mounted an open-ended body portion and a bottom plate. The mounting of the bottom plate is such as to permit the outer portion of the bottom plate to be pivoted in a desired direction. The body portion is so mounted as to be pivotally movable in an upwardly direction.

The body portion has an internal cavity extending therethrough and an opening in another side of the body portion. Normally, the body portion abuts against the bottom plate so that the adjacent open end of the body portion is closed off thereby. The internal cavity in the body portion serves as a receptacle for all, or part, of the cigar or cigarette to be extinguished. While the internal cavity may be disposed horizontally, it is preferred that the cavity be disposed substantially vertically.

One aspect of the invention is that the pivotal mountings of the body portion and the bottom plate are such that the parts are self-adjusting and the body portion and the bottom plate automatically align themselves into a substantially air tight fit. Another aspect of the invention is that the pivotal mountings for the parts are so adapted and arranged that downward pivotal movement of the outer portion of the bottom plate cannot take place unless the body portion has first been pivoted upwardly.

Extinguishment of the cigar or cigarette is efiected by placing the cigar or cigarette in the internal cavity of the body portion so that the lighted end is adjacent the bottom plate. Because of the substantially air tight fit between the body portion and the bottom plate, the supply of air to the lighted end is out off and the cigar or cigarette goes out. Alternatively, the cigar or cigarette may be inserted into the internal cavity of the body portion until the lighted end engages and is crushed out against the bottom plate. The extinguished butt is then ejected by the concurrent upward pivotal movement of the body portion and the downward pivotal movement of the outer portion of the bottom plate, which pivotal movement permits the butt of the extinguished cigar or cigarette to drop on through and out of the body portion.

For the purpose of illustrating how the invention may be practiced certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention are \shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail hereinafter. However, the general description above, as well as the drawings and the detailed description to follow, are by Way of example only and are not intended to define or restrict the scope of the invention. The claims appended hereto are relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. I is a longitudinal sectional view through one embodiment of the invention showing the parts of the device in their normal positions;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the parts of the device in their cigarette ejecting posit-ions;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the device in a cigarette ejecting position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 with the parts of the device in their cigarette ejecting positions;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bracket for the embodiment of FIG. 8 with the body portion and bottom plate being shown in phantom.

Reference will first be made to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5. This form of the invention comprises a U-sh-aped bracket it), a tubular body portion 12 and a substantially planar bottom plate 14. It is not essential that the individual parts have the specific configurations shown but these particular forms are preferred.

The U-shaped bracket 10 is adapted to be secured in fixed position to the side wall of an ashtray or to a vertically disposed surface above and adjacent to an ashtray or to some other suitable support (not shown). Accordingly, the intermediate base portion 16 of the bracket 10 is provided with holes 13, 18 that accommodate the screws, rivets or other fastening means by which the bracket 10 is fixedly fastened to the support.

The body portion 12 has an open end 21'} and an internal cavity 22 that communicates the open end with an opening 24 as shown. In the preferred form of the invention shown in FIGS. l-5 the cavity 22 is vertically disposed, the open end 2% is formed in the lower end of the body 12 and the opening 24 is formed in the top portion 26 of the body 12. An outwardly increasing flared portion 28 is provided above the opening 24- to facilitate the insertion of a cigar or cigarette into the cavity 22.

Body portion 12 is pivotally mounted between the arms 39, 30 of the U-shaped bracket 10. A pivot pin 32 is fixed in the upper and rearward end of the body 12, that is, adjacent the top 26 of the body portion 12 and the base portion 16 of the U-shaped bracket Ill. The outer ends of the pin 32 pass through openings 34, 34 in the bracket arms 3%), 3t) and extend beyond. The

in 32 is in this way substantially fixed in the bracket arms and the application of an upward force to the forward part of the body portion 12 causes the body to pivot upwardly about the pin in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in the drawings.

The bottom plate 14 is also pivotally mounted between the arms 30, 30 of the bracket 10. For this purpose the plate 14 is provided with a pair of laterally extending lugs 36, 36 that pass through openings 33, 38 in the bracket arms 36, 3d and extend slightly beyond. At its forward or outer end, that is, the end farthest from the base portion 16 of the U-shaped bracket 10, the plate 14 is provided with a downwardly turned portion 49. The provision of this downwardly turned portion unbalances the plate 14 and positions the center of gravity of the plate forwardly of the lugs 36, 36 so that the plate 14 always tends to pivot in a clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings. For reference purposes the rightwardly direction away from the bracket 16 as shown in the drawings is considered as the forward or outer direction.

Clockwise pivotal movement of the bottom plate is prevented by the body portion 12 which rests upon the upper surface 42 of the plate. Due to the fact that the pivot pin 32 for the body portion 12 lies substantially vertically above the rearmost point of contact between the lower edge portion 44 of the body and the upper surface 42 of the plate 14, slight pivoting of the plate 14 exerts an upward force on the body portion at this point. This upward force only serves to raise the body portion vertically and not to pivot it in a counterclockwise direction since the force is directed substantially trough the pivot pin 32. The pivot pin 32 is, accordingly, jammed against the upper edge portions of the openings 34, 34 and locks the body portion against any further counterclockwise pivoting which, in turn, prevents any further clockwise pivoting of the bottom plate 14.

The open end 21) of the body 12 is closed oil by the plate 14. In order to obtain a substantially air tight fit between the body 12 and the plate, the lower edge portions 44- of the body and the upper surface 42 of the plate are smooth so that the two surfaces will fit closely together. Proper alignment of the upper surface 42 and the lower edge portions 44 for an air tight fit it obtained by mountaing the body 12 and plate 14 in the bracket 11% so as to be self-adjusting. In the preferred form of the invention shown in FIGS. l this is achieved by making the openings 34, 34 and 33, 38 larger than is necessary so as to permit a certain amount of relative movement of the body 12 and the plate 14 with respect to the bracket 10. By reason of this construction the body 12 and plate 14 will automatically adjust themselves so that the fit between the lower edge portions 44 of the body 12 and the upper surface 4-2 of the bottom plate 14 is substantially air tight.

In operation the device is fixedly secured to a suitable support closely adjacent an ashtray or other receptacle. The cigar or cigarette to be extinguished is inserted into the internal cavity 22 of the body 12 with the lighted end down. It may be crushed against the upper surface 4-2 of the plate 14 or may simply be left in the cavity 22 where, because of the substantially air tight fit of the body 12 on the plate 14, it is extinguished by lack of air. After the cigar or cigarette is extinguished the body 12 is pivoted upwardly in a counterclockwise direction as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 by lifting the body portion. Upward pivotal movement of the body 12 permits the plate 14 to pivot clockwise and to open the end 20 of the body 12. The cigar or cigarette then slides downwardly through the device into the ashtray or receptacle.

When the lifting force on the body 12 is released, it pivots clockwise causing the plate 14 to pivot counterclockwise until the parts are restored to their normally disposed positions shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. In moving clockwise to its normally disposed position the front edge of the plate 14 acts to kick the cigar or cigarette butt out of the way of the next succeeding cigar or cigarette.

As explained above the pivotal mounting for the body 12 is so positioned that clockwise pivotal movement of the plate 14 cannot take place until after the body portion 12 has been pivoted upwardly. Body portion 12 thus serves as a lock to the clockwise pivotal movement of the plate 14. As long as the body portion 12 rests normally upon the plate, the plate cannot be pivoted in a clockwise direction.

The openings .38, 38 for the lugs 36, 36 on the bottom plate 14 are so located that the body 12 is disposed vertically when resting onthe plate 14. Preferably these openings are located substantially at or forward of a transverse plane through the longitudinal axis of the internal cavity 22. Locating the lugs 36, 36 of the plate 14 in this manner causes the pivoting axis of the bottom plate to pass through or forwardly of the center of the bottom opening in the body portion. This is especially advantageous inasmuch as the force applied in crushing a cigarette will pass through or forwardly of the pivot point for the plate and will not tend to pivot the plate 14 in a clockwise direction.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this form of the invention the body portion 111) is adapted to receive a cigar or cigarette horizontally. The body portion is, accordingly, so shaped as to define a horizontal internal cavity 112. In the preferred form shown the body portion 110 is substantially semi-circular in shape. By reason of this configuration the lower end 114- of the body 110 is open. As in the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-S the open end 114 is closed of by a bottom plate 116.

Both the body portion 110 and the bottom plate 116 are pivotally mounted in a bracket 118 that is adapted to be secured in a fixed position to the side wall of an ashtray or to some other suitable support (-not shown). A pair of lugs 120, 120 on the body portion 110, and a similar pair of lugs 122, 122 on the bottom plate 116, extend through the openings 124, 124 and 126, 126 respectively in the sides 128, 128 of the bracket 118. The openings 124 and 126 are somewhat larger than the lugs 120 and 122 so that the body 110 and the plate 116 are self adjusting to the position shown in FIG. 6 and fit together with a substantially air tight fit between the upper surface 130 of the plate .116 and the lower edge portions 132, 132 of the body portion 110.

Body portion 110 also has a side opening 134 through which a cigar or cigarette may be inserted into the internal cavity 112. The opposite end of the body portion 110 is closed off by an end wall 136. An elongated outer portion 138 on the bottom plate 116 places the center of gravity for the plate outwardly of the lugs 122, 122 so that the plate 116 always tends to pivot in a clockwise direction as illustrated.

The pivotal mounting of the body portion 110 and the bottom plate 116 in the bracket 118 is such that the body 110 locks the bottom plate 116 against such pivotal movement in the same manner described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. l-S. Lugs 122, 122 are located substantially at a transverse plane through the centerline of the cavity 112 and the lugs 120, 120 are disposed substantially above the innermost point of contact 132 between the body 110 and the plate 116.

Operation of this embodiment of the invention is similar to the embodiment previously described. The lighted cigarette, or cigar, is inserted through the opening 134 into the internal cavity 112. There, because of the substantially air tight fit between the body 110 and the plate 116 and the end wall 136, it is extinguished in a few seconds time through lack of air. The body 111) is then raised by lifting on the finger piece 142. T his permits the plate 116 to pivot to the position shown in FIG. 7 and the extinguished cigar or cigarette rolls out of the device into the ashtray. Release of the body 110 restores the parts to their normal positions.

Another form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 8l0. This form is generally similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 15 and has a body portion 210 with a vertically disposed internal cavity 211. A bottom plate 212 closes off the cavity 211. However, the mounting of the body portion 210 and the bottom plate 212 in the bracket 214 is specifically different. The :bracket 214 comprises a substantially fiat plate portion 216 that is provided with a pair of arms 218, 218. At their forward ends the arms 218, 218 have inwardly turned lugs 22%, 2211 which extend into transverse openings 222 in the body 210. The diameter of the openings 222 is greater than that of the lugs 220, 220 so that there is substantial looseness in the pivotal connection between the parts and the body 210 is capable of movement in two planes relative to the bracket 214.

A third arm 224 is provided on the bracket 214 at the lower edge of the plate portion 216. An upstanding lug 226 is provided at the forward end of the arm 224 and the bottom plate 212 is mounted thereon. T this end the plate 212 has an upwardly extending recess 223 formed in the underneath surface 230 of the plate and the lug 226 extends into this recess. The mounting of the bottom plate 212 on the lug 226 permits the plate to adjust itself relative to the bracket 214 and the body 210 as shown. A substantially air tight fit between the plate and the body is obtained by the self adjusting mounting of the body and plate in this manner.

The operation of this embodiment is the same as that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. The lighted cigar or cigarette is inserted into the inner cavity 211 and either crushed out against the bottom plate 212 or simply extinguished through lack of air. An upward force is then applied to the body 210 to pivot it in a counter clockwise direction, as previously described. At the same time the bottom plate 212 pivots clockwise. The butt of the extinguished cigar or cigarette falls into the ashtray or receptacle below (not shown).

What is claimed is:

l. A device for extinguishing cigars and cigarettes, said device comprising (a) a bracket adapted to be secured in a fixed position,

(b) a body portion pivotable in the bracket and having an internal cavity extending therethrough, the cavity being defined in one portion thereof by an open bottom and in another portion by means providing an opening adapted to admit a cigarette portion thereinto, and

(c) a substantially flat bottom plate closing the bottom of the body portion, said bottom plate being pivotally connected to the bracket on an axis passing through the center of the bottom opening.

2. An extinguishing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is located outwardly of said bracket and the innenmost point of contact between the body portion and the bottom plate lies closely adjacent a vertical plane through the axis of the pivotal mounting for the body portion in the bracket.

3. An extinguishing device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the bottom plate has a center of gravity positioned outwardly of the pivotal connection between the bottom plate and the bracket.

4. A cigarette extinguishing device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said bottom extends inwardly of the body portion and is adapted to engage the external portion of the lower end portion of the inner-most portion of the body to limit pivotal movement of said body.

5. A cigarette extinguishing device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body portion is so positioned that the internal cavity therein may receive a cigarette vertically.

6. A cigarette extinguishing device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body portion is so positioned that the internal cavity therein may receive a cigarette horizontally.

7. A cigarette extinguishing device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said bracket has an upstanding projection and said bottom plate is provided with a recess in the underside thereof whereby said bottom plate may be mounted on said projection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,583,738 Oltra May 4, 1926 2,558,320 Statelles June 26, 1951 2,727,521 Wilson Dec. 20, 1955 

1. A DEVICE FOR EXTINGUISHING CIGARS AND CIGARETTES, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING (A) A BRACKET ADAPTED TO BE SECURED IN A FIXED POSITION, (B) A BODY PORTION PIVOTABLE IN THE BRACKET AND HAVING AN INTERNAL CAVITY EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, THE CAVITY BEING DEFINED IN ONE PORTION THEREOF BY AN OPEN BOTTOM AND IN ANOTHER PORTION BY MEANS PROVIDING AN OPENING ADAPTED TO ADMIT A CIGARETTE PORTION THEREINTO, AND (C) A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM PLATE CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF THE BODY PORTION, SAID BOTTOM PLATE BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE BRACKET ON AN AXIS PASSING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM OPENING. 